Obesity, stigma, and responsibility in health care: A synthesis of qualitative studies

Objective: To synthesize research findings on experiences and attitudes about obesity and stigma in health care. Methods: We compiled qualitative studies and applied Noblitt & Hare's meta ethnography to identify, translate, and summarize across studies. Thirteen qualitative studies on experiences and attitudes about obesity and stigma in health care settings were identified and included. Results: The study reveals how stigmatizing attitudes are enacted by health care providers and perceived by patients with obesity. Second-order analysis demonstrated that apparently appropriate advice can be perceived as patronizing by patients with obesity. Furthermore, health care providers indicate that abnormal bodies cannot be incorporated in the medical systems—exclusion of patients with obesity consequently happens. Finally, customary standards for interpersonal respect are legitimately surpassed, and patients with obesity experience contempt as if deserved. Third-order analysis revealed conflicting views between providers and patients with obesity on responsibility, whereas internalized stigma made patients vulnerable for accepting a negative attribution. A theoretical elaboration relates the issues of stigma with those of responsibility. Conclusion: Contradictory views on patients’ responsibility, efforts, knowledge, and motivation merge to internalization of stigma, thereby obstructing healthy coping and collaboration and creating negative contexts for empowerment, self-efficacy, and weight management. Professionals need to develop their awareness for potentially stigmatizing attitudes towards vulnerable patient populations

Achievement motives and emotional processes in children during problem-solving: Two experimental studies of their relation to performance in different achievement goal conditions

In two studies, the influence of key emotional and motivational factors on performance in different achievement goal-type situations is examined. In study 1, based on 314 sixth-graders, two types of goal situations were induced; performance and mastery. The goals were examined with respect to important antecedents (e.g., motive dispositions) and several consequences (e.g., performance, satisfaction, pleasant affect, worry, and emotionality). The results showed that the motive to achieve success (Ms) produced positive affects, satisfaction, and increased performance, whereas the motive to avoid failure (Mf) produced worries and performance reduction. In study 2, based on 331 sixth-graders, three types of goal situations were induced; performance–approach, performance–avoidance, and mastery goals. The findings revealed that the most important single factors positively related to performance were Ms and mastery–goal situation. In addition, high Ms pupils performed better under mastery condition than under performance condition. Finally, avoidance-goal situation accentuate the negative effects of high Mf on performance

Research on Teaching and Learning Mathematics at the Tertiary Level:State-of-the-art and Looking Ahead

This topical survey focuses on research in tertiary mathematics education, a field that has experienced considerable growth over the last 10 years. Drawing on the most recent journal publication as well as the latest advances from recent high quality conference proceedings, our review culls out the following five emergent areas of interest: mathematics teaching at the tertiary level; the role of mathematics in other disciplines; textbooks, assessment and students’ studying practices; transition to the tertiary level; and theoretical-methodological advances. We conclude the survey with a discussion of some potential ways forward for future research in this new and rapidly developing domain of inquiry

Feedback resonance frequency as an shm indicator (The Larsen effect)

The most efficient way of building up energy in an oscillating system is to do it in phase with a resonant frequency of the system. If the resonant frequency changes for any reason this is difficult to obtain with a static frequency generator. It is of course possible to sweep over a frequency interval to find the maximum repeatedly, but a frequency sweep takes time and it is performed at discrete frequencies. A better approach is to set the device under test in feedback resonance. This will guarantee that the frequency is always a peak in the spectrum and the adaptation to change is immediate and continuous in every aspect. A continuous observation of feedback frequency can conceivably serve as an SHM indicator. Experiments with geophones as actuators are performed. A 9-day test revealed smooth frequency variations in the 236.901 to 237.353 Hz interval. These smooth variations are believed to be caused by thermal and humidity changes in the laboratory. An audible tension release in the test device during this period was clearly indicated by a momentary step in the resonant frequency. A second experiment revealed that as the feedback gain was adjusted in steps, the feedback frequency followed suit. This establishes indirectly the relation between deformation and resonant frequency. It is thus possible to determine non-linearity with the controlled feedback resonance method

A framework for inversion of wavefield spectra in seismic non-destructive testing of pavements

A method for the inversion of wavefield spectra in non-destructive testing of pavements is outlined. Data acquisition and processing is based on the Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW) method. The inversion of a vertical-shear wave velocity profile is conducted on the full wave field spectrum using the Fast Simulated Annealing (FSA) algorithm. This procedure avoids dealing with discrete dispersion curves and mode identification for the inversion of surface wave data. The viscoelastic properties of the asphalt layer are included in the forward model, resulting in an inverted mastercurve, showing the asphalt stiffness as a function of frequency. The outlined approach is demonstrated on both synthetic and field data. The main benefit is that the raw field data can be automatically processed and inverted without any subjective user input, while properly accounting for the interference of different modes and types of waves. The main disadvantage at this point of development is an extensive (several hours) computational time for the inversion process

Damage localization by statistical evaluation of signal-processed mode shapes

Due to their inherent ability to provide structural information on a local level, mode shapes and their derivatives are utilized extensively for structural damage identification. Typically, more or less advanced mathematical methods are implemented to identify damage-induced discontinuities in the spatial mode shape signals, hereby potentially facilitating damage detection and/or localization. However, by being based on distinguishing damage-induced discontinuities from other signal irregularities, an intrinsic deficiency in these methods is the high sensitivity towards measurement noise. The present article introduces a damage localization method which, compared to the conventional mode shape-based methods, has greatly enhanced robustness towards measurement noise. The method is based on signal processing of spatial mode shapes by means of continuous wavelet transformation (CWT) and subsequent application of a generalized discrete Teager-Kaiser energy operator (GDTKEO) to identify damage-induced mode shape discontinuities. In order to evaluate whether the identified discontinuities are in fact damage-induced, outlier analysis of principal components of the signal-processed mode shapes is conducted on the basis of T2-statistics. The proposed method is demonstrated in the context of analytical work with a free-vibrating Euler-Bernoulli beam under noisy conditions

Multichannel analysis of seismic waves for layer moduli evaluation of pavements

Results from the application of a new seismic technique for non-destructive testing of pavement layer moduli are presented. The method is based on the multichannel analysis of surface waves (MASW) method and multichannel simulation with one receiver (MSOR). The MSOR method uses one accelerometer (receiver), a light hammer (source), and a single-channel recording device to generate a simulated multichannel record in a fast and simple manner. In the case study presented, the dispersion curve of surface waves shows different branches associated with the layers of different stiffness. From an objective observation of branches, seismic velocities, and resonant frequencies we evaluate the total number of layers with different stiffness properties, the dynamic E-modulus, Poisson's ratio, and thickness of the top asphalt layers. We propose using this information in the back-calculation of Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD) data

Evaluation of connected clonal growth of Solidago chilensis as an avoidance mechanism in copper-polluted soils

Plant resistance to metals can be achieved by two strategies, tolerance and avoidance. Although metal tolerance has been broadly studied in terrestrial plants, avoidance has been less considered as a strategy to cope with soil metal pollution. Avoidance may be an effective alternative in herbaceous plants with connected clonal growth in environments having high heterogeneity in soil micro-spatial distribution of available metals and other soil conditions (i.e. organic matter). In this study, we performed a laboratory experiment on clonal growth of Solidago chilensis when exposed to copper-spiked soils (800 mg kg−1) at different depths (0, 2, 5 and 8 cm depth), with (20%) and without addition of organic matter to mimic contrasting microhabitats found at smelter hinterlands (i.e. open bare ground and microhabitats below shrubs). Results showed that plants grown in the 2 cm-depth Cu-spiked soils were able to growth and produce ramets and rhizomes. However, increased Cu uptake of plants determined phytotoxic effects and a reduction in clonal spread in the 5 cm- and 8 cm-depth Cu-spiked soils. Addition of organic matter to the Cu-spiked soil layers allowed clonal spread. Considering that ramet and rhizome production is decreased but not inhibited when copper pollution is restricted to the uppermost soil layer (2 cm depth) and that organic matter eliminated soil copper toxicity allowing normal clonal spread, connected clonal growth may be an effective avoidance mechanism of Solidago chilensis, particularly in environments with high heterogeneity in micro-spatial distribution of metals and organic matter in the soil profile and between microhabitats. © 2019 Elsevier Lt